Board Reviews Master Plan Update, Capital Project Strategy, and Future Use of Pleasant Street Center
Listen to this articleReading, MA — On Tuesday evening, the Select Board continued its discussion of updating Reading’s master plan. The current master plan, developed over several years, was adopted in February 2006. This led to town-wide discussions on items such as the downtown smart growth district and the Birch Meadow Master Plan.
Community Development Director Andrew MacNichol explained to the board that, according to Massachusetts Law, a master plan should include nine elements, including plans for housing, open space, transportation, and economic development. Board member Mark Dockser, who championed the notion of developing an updated plan, noted, “We need to be deliberate in terms of what we want to do.”
The board reviewed the 2006 plan, which is over 200 pages long, paying special attention to the committee’s makeup that produced it twenty years ago. Select Board member Karen Herrick suggested a new document should include a timeline to guide future boards regarding when a new plan might emerge. Dockser also suggested to the board that the committee, this time around, should seek to consider the aging population more directly than the previous one, possibly addressing issues such as transit-oriented housing and those desiring to age in place.
“The world is changing around us, and we as a community need to be aware and forward-thinking,” Dockser added.
Dockser also recommended that the board look at the capital plan and seek input regarding community priorities before jumping into new projects. He suggested that the process over the past few years has been “somewhat haphazardly done.” He quickly noted that he was not referring to smaller projects of standard maintenance and upkeep, such as boiler or fire truck replacement, but rather to “medium-sized” projects like Birch Meadow Phase II that may have been promoted without full community consideration. “We can be more deliberate about it,” Dockser added.
The board agreed that a committee should be formed to assess community needs and interests regarding the capital plan.
Pleasant Street Center
The board also held a brief discussion regarding possible uses for the Pleasant Street Center if the Reading Center for Active Living project is approved by voters, with Chair Carlo Bacci stating that Town Meeting members are sure to ask about it. Haley again indicated that the building needs in some way, to generate revenue for the town to offset the costs of the new center, either through the sale or the leasing of the building. Town staff was directed to complete a commercial property appraisal and report the findings to the board as soon as possible.
Vote for In-Person Early Voting
The Select Board voted 5-0 to allow Saturday, March 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Town Hall as an additional early in-person voting day for the upcoming local election. Town Clerk Laura Gemme explained that she needed to be present at Town Hall that day because it was the final day for her to register to vote before the April 8 town-wide election.
Waste Disposal Contract
The board voted 5-0 to extend the trash disposal contract with Reworld until the end of June 2031. Reworld, formerly known as Covanta, is not responsible for trash pickup in Reading but rather for disposing of already collected trash. Director of Public Works Christopher Cole explained that the new contract calls for a three percent reduction in cost for the first year of the extension, with annual increases tied to the consumer price index not exceeding four and a half percent over the remainder of the contract.
Town Accountant
The board voted 5-0 to reappoint Sharon Angstrom as the Town Accountant for another year, beginning on July 1, 2025.
The Select Board adjourned at 8:55 pm.
